The effect of caregivers’ health literacy levels on the quality of life and self-care of patients with heart failure

Background: The aim of this study is to examine the effects of health literacy levels of caregivers on the self-care behaviors and quality of life of patients aged 65 years and older with heart failure. Methods: The study was conducted in a university hospital in Erzincan, Türkiye between November 4, 2023, and February 12, 2024, on patients hospitalized in internal medicine, cardiology, and cardiovascular surgery wards and their caregivers (n = 206 pairs). Results: As a result of the multivariate regression analysis, it was determined that the access, appraisal, and application sub-dimensions of the health literacy of the caregivers positively affected the self-care behaviors and quality of life levels of the patients. Conclusions: These results reveal the significant effect of the health literacy levels of the caregivers in the management process of heart failure disease. Healthcare providers -especially nurses- can improve patient outcomes of patients with heart failure by considering the health literacy level of their caregivers and using innovative educational methods that can improve the health knowledge and skills of caregivers. © 2024 Elsevier Inc.